The Saratoga Race Course summer meet is the racing highlight of the year, and the high point of summer at the Spa is the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on Saturday, August 24! Eight of the best three-year-old dirt horses in the country will line up to go the classic 1 ¼ miles on the dirt. At stake are a staggering $1.25 million purse as well as the honor of winning the oldest sophomore stakes race in the country!
Leading the field for the 2024 Travers is Dornoch, a breakout star after winning both the Belmont Stakes and the Haskell Stakes (G1) in his last two starts. Lining up alongside him include Eclipse Award winner Fierceness, Blue Grass (G1) winner Sierra Leone, and even the dazzling Kentucky Oaks-winning filly Thorpedo Anna.
Will one of these familiar stars win, or will a new face like Honor Marie, Unmatched Wisdom, Corporate Power, or Batten Down assume a place in the upper echelon of the division? With such a competitive field, it is one of the best horse racing betting opportunities of the year. Read on to find out the best contenders, and to see the best places to bet the 2024 Travers Stakes online!
Travers Stakes Field
This is the official field for the 2024 Travers Stakes including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning lines:
- Thorpedo Anna (Kenny McPeek/Brian Hernandez, Jr.) - 3/1
- Sierra Leone (Chad Brown/Flavien Prat) - 7/2
- Unmatched Wisdom (Chad Brown/Irad Ortiz, Jr.) - 8/1
- Corporate Power (Shug McGaughey/Javier Castellano) - 15/1
- Batten Down (Bill Mott/Junior Alvarado) - 20/1
- Honor Marie (Whit Beckman/Tyler Gaffalione) - 20/1
- Dornoch (Danny Gargan/Luis Saez) - 5/2
- Fierceness (Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez) - 3/1
Even before choosing which horses to bet, you should take a few moments to think about where to bet the Travers Stakes online. Betting online gives you an advantage: you can lock in odds the moment you bet on major races, instead of waiting for an on-track price that is not final until post time.
Betting online also gives you the convenience of doing all your horse racing betting and sports betting in just one place! Not all racetracks offer that, but all of our recommended sites give you that convenient option.
This chart shows the Travers Stakes odds for the top of the market at our recommended sportsbooks. Keep an eye on the prices as the race draws closer, and get ready to bet when you see an overlay!
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dornoch | +250 | +400 | +250 |
| Thorpedo Anna | +300 | +300 | +300 |
| Fierceness | +300 | +400 | +300 |
| Sierra Leone | +350 | +275 | +350 |
| Unmatched Wisdom | +800 | +1000 | +800 |
Travers Stakes Online Betting
When choosing the best online sportsbook for playing the Travers Stakes, it may seem daunting at first because of all the options out there. Our online betting experts are here to help! We have trusted reviews that help you understand the features and offers at each site, and choose the best one quickly and easily.
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Travers Stakes Handicapping
With your wagering account all set up, it is time to get to know the field for the race! Here are the most interesting betting horses in the 2024 Travers Stakes:
Travers Stakes Win Contenders
Kenny McPeek knows when to take a shot against the boys, as Swiss Skydiver’s Preakness-winning campaign in 2020 made clear. He’s got another buzzsaw with Thorpedo Anna, and this looks like exactly the right time. There’s a lot of other speed and she has the tricky rail, but she has been able to keep on going well even in a fast pace, and she overcame a terrible start last out to win for fun.
After the Belmont, many wondered if Dornoch was a flash in the pan or if he had just come into himself. The Haskell made very clear that Dornoch had just found his game. He should be able to work an outside pressing trip from his gate, and when the going gets tough down the lane, no horse in the three-year-old class has proven so good at digging in and coming back in the final stages of a race.
Travers Stakes Exotics Picks
With quite a lot of speed in the race, Honor Marie could get a very nice trip in this race. He is a dependable closer who always makes up some ground. However, he had a rough beginning in the Kentucky Derby and also did not have a good beginning in the Belmont next out. A better start could give him a better trip, and first-time blinkers might have him sitting closer up, perhaps midfield or a bit further back, instead of the clouds.
Sierra Leone is a consistent horse, another closer who always seems to find a run. He still seems to have some growing up to do, as he tends to be his own worst enemy in the latter stages of a race. But, the snappy early pace should give him the setup he likes to have, and he has already shown in a pair of 1 ¼-mile classics that he can run on and finish close.
Free Travers Stakes Picks
You know where to bet, and you know the field. Now all that’s left is the most fun part of all: placing your bets for the 2024 Travers Stakes!
Here are the expert best bets for the race:
- $20 to win - #1 Thorpedo Anna
- $1 exacta key - #1 Thorpedo Anna with #6 Honor Marie, #7 Dornoch
- $0.50 trifecta key - #1 Thorpedo Anna with #2 Sierra Leone, #6 Honor Marie, #7 Dornoch
